REM 2015 Agenda and Presentations

Click on a presenter's name to download the presentation as a PDF.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

3:00 p.m.

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA(BUS DEPARTS FROM HILTON CRYSTAL CITY BREEZEWAY)

Solar Carport Tour

Sponsored by:

Arrive in DC early for this unique (and free!) opportunity to visit one of the first large-scale solar campus installations in the Washington DC area. The tour will be led by experts from WGL Energy and Standard Solar, who partnered to make this installation possible. Click here for more information.

Tours are included in the cost of registration, subject to availability. Advance registration is required.

5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

VIRGINIA FOYER

Registration and Tradeshow

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

VIRGINIA FOYER

Opening Night Reception

Sponsored by:

We're kicking off the conference with a Sunday evening reception – stop by to network with fellow conference attendees before the action begins!

Monday, October 19, 2015

8:00 a.m.

VIRGINIA FOYER

Registration Opens
Continental Breakfast and Tradeshow

8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

WGL ENERGY ROOM (RICHMOND/ROANOKE)

Pre-Conference Workshop: Voluntary Renewable Energy Markets 101

An introduction to renewable energy, renewable energy certificates (RECs), and creating credible markets. Perfect for newcomers to the industry or participants that are looking to stay up-to-date. Breakfast will be included during the session. Please note that separate registration is required.

Networking Break

Sponsored by:

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

WILLIAMSBURG/YORKTOWN

Renewable Energy and the EPA's Clean Power Plan

This session will address the role of renewable energy in reducing emissions from the power sector under the Clean Power Plan. Topics include tracking emissions reductions from renewable energy, avoiding double counting, and the role of RECs and tracking systems, along with calculating and accounting for emissions reductions, renewable energy policies and strategies, managing interstate trading issues, enhancing tracking and reporting infrastructure to help states, the anticipated impact on renewable energy development, and interactions with existing compliance and voluntary RE markets.

Direct Purchasing and PPAs 101

Large companies are evaluating opportunities for sourcing directly from renewable energy generators with long term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). This panel will provide introductory information on the benefits and challenges of this procurement option, setting the stage for a more in-depth conversation later in the day. Panelists will provide recommendations on how to put together internal teams, reduce transaction time, and secure buy-in for long term agreements.

Green Power Leadership Awards Luncheon

An awards celebration to honor leading green power purchasers, green power suppliers, and organizations and individuals advancing green power markets. Awards will be presented by the U.S. EPA and Center for Resource Solutions.

Opening Remarks

Presented by Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator of Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. EPA.

Understanding, Targeting, and Keeping Your Customer

This panel will highlight the challenges that are unique to renewable energy products in markets where the consumer can choose from many providers, and provide tools for identifying, attracting, and retaining the next tier of customers. Case studies will discuss ways that suppliers have grown their renewable energy programs by with innovative messaging and program features to keep customers and keep them happy.

Solar Claims Workshop

The new solar boom has brought with it increasing complexity around renewable energy claims. Because ownership of the environmental benefits is not always made clear, the potential for double claiming on the part of installers, utilities, providers, and hosts has never been greater. Join experts for a look at the current state of the market, tools such as the FTC’s Green Guides, and best practices for participants to protect and grow the solar marketplace.

The Next Generation of Utility-Offered Renewable Energy Products for Large Customers

Large corporations have the ability and interest to expand renewable energy use and are setting aggressive, public goals that are driving billions of kilowatt hours of renewable energy demand. At the same time, utilities are transforming the electricity system to better accommodate the large-scale delivery of renewable energy sources and meet modern safety, reliability, quality, security, environmental, and affordability requirements. Both utilities and large customers face challenges to meeting their goals, particularly in regulated electricity markets. This panel will discuss how commercial and industrial customers are coming together to develop new offerings and present case studies of new models that better deliver value to all sides.

Technology Lightning Round

This panel will provide representatives from various technology sectors (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, etc.) to give a 5–10 min run through of new developments, pricing and market trends, advantages of technology, and policy trends.

Utility Response to Commercial Interest in New Models

In response to the “Next Generation of Utility-Offered Renewable Energy Products for Large Customers” panel directly preceding this session, attendees will gather to continue the discussion of hot topics.

Moderator
Emily Felt, Duke Energy

5:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

VIRGINIA FOYER

Networking Break

5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

NEXTERA ENERGY RESOURCES BALLROOM (VIRGINIA)

Federal and Public Renewable Energy Procurement

Federal procurement of renewables is quickly becoming one of the largest demand centers for renewable energy. Find out the requirements and options for your organization to get involved in this exciting opportunity.

Green Power Party

Sponsored by

The action doesn't end when the sessions conclude for the day. Join us for the Green Power Party, hosted by WGL Energy, and cruise down the Potomac with friends and colleagues! Enjoy monumental views of Washington, DC from onboard the glass-enclosed Odyssey. Shuttle transportation will be provided from the Hotel Lobby to the Gangplank Marina starting at 6:30PM. For more details, see the Green Power Party page.

Registration Opens
Continental Breakfast and Tradeshow

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

CRYSTAL BALLROOM

U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership Breakfast for Renewable Energy Providers

Join us during breakfast for an overview of the U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership, a voluntary program that encourages organizations to use green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use. This session is intended for renewable energy providers, and is the perfect introduction to the Green Power Partnership for newcomers. [Presentation]

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

NEXTERA ENERGY RESOURCES BALLROOM (VIRGINIA)

State of the Markets

An inside look at the state of voluntary renewable energy markets and state renewable portfolio standards. Projections of where these markets are headed.

Overview of the U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan

Representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will provide a brief overview of the final Clean Power Plan, compliance options that involve renewable energy, and they will take questions about how it may affect your business.

SpeakersMatt Clouse, U.S. EPA
Chris Sherry, U.S. EPA

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

VIRGINIA FOYER

Networking Break

Sponsored By

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

CRYSTAL BALLROOM

Spotlight on the Mid-Atlantic Market

This session puts policy, pricing, trading activity and financing issues in PJM and the Mid-Atlantic in the spotlight, perhaps the most dynamic and volatile REC markets in the country. It will include an overview of market trends, drivers, barriers, and impacts in both voluntary and compliance spaces. In particular, panelists will delve into supply and demand fundamentals in the PJM Tier I market and legislative/regulatory changes that may impact pricing.

Steal These Ideas: Marketing Success Stories

Hear stories about big green power marketing wins, deconstructed. Panelists will be asked to share their story from inspiration, development, and final outcome. Bonus points for speakers that identify roadblocks and the decision-making that moved the project forward.

Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

CRYSTAL BALLROOM

Community Solar and Solar Shares Programs

Community-shared renewables programs are an effective way to reach and involve customers who wish to go beyond the traditional green pricing program approach most often offered by utilities. What challenges are commonly faced when formulating a new community solar or solar shares program? How can utilities effectively engage with solar providers to maintain high quality program for their customers? How do utilities distinguish multiple voluntary offerings, and how do they promote solar programs? This panel will focus on success stories, financing issues, implementing programs in deregulated energy markets, claims, marketing, and innovations in community solar.

Renewable Energy Tracking Systems and the EPA’s Clean Power Plan

Sponsored By:
Join this interactive discussion of the new opportunities and challenges for tracking systems presented by a changing landscape of renewable energy and climate policy. In particular, the discussion will focus on the role of tracking systems in state compliance with the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. How can existing systems and current functionality support compliance with different programs and policies, and what new or different functionality can be added to further support compliance? Panelists and attendees will break out into groups to discuss topics that may include inter-system functionality, tracking energy efficiency, tracking avoided emissions, and all-generation tracking.

Networking Break

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

CRYSTAL BALLROOM

State Program Updates and the Future of RPS and Compliance Markets

Hear from state representatives about internal developments in their states. Join the discussion of what role state Renewable Portfolio Standards will have amid federal carbon standards, more direct subsidies for small systems, and other renewables policies and incentives. Is it reasonable to expect more states to extend their RPS, like California, as they throw policy and regulatory resources towards 111(d) compliance and programs? What will happen in the post-2020 period? What are the implications of new feed-in-tariff and small-system energy metering models for traditional RPS and REC trading models?

International Purchasing and Sustainability Goals

Sponsored By:

What are best practices in purchasing renewable energy (RE) beyond the U.S. and Canada? What are the different instruments, greenhouse gas (GHG) claims, challenges and opportunities? What demand is there? How can you use RE to meet your sustainability goals? Learn about programs and initiatives, including GHG accounting, LEED certification, Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, and others.

Networking Break

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

CRYSTAL BALLROOM

Lessons Learned from the Past 20 Years of Green Power Programs

This session will look at how green power programs have evolved and what they could look like in the future. The discussion will explore new practices that add value and what can be done to overcome obstacles faced today. Audience participation will be invited.

Solar Markets

This session will discuss market and financing challenges and opportunities for solar markets in 2015 and beyond. Panelists will explain volumes, liquidity, pricing, and forecasts; characterize supply; and explore market with growth potential based on supply and demand and the impact of different policy developments, programs, legislative changes and regulation in different markets. Other topics may include varying ownership and finance structures and the challenges and opportunities for compliance and tracking infrastructure.